Here are some of the tidbits (I'm transcribing as the program goes on, but am keeping the quotes as accurate as possible.)
Advertisement
WARDROBEGATE:
"When I arrived at the convention they [the clothing] were waiting for me and being ordered for me," Palin said. "I did not order the clothes, did not ask for the clothes, would have been happy to wear my own clothes."
Palin said, "I still do not have all the answers" about who was really behind the decision to purchase the clothing. She said she was "going with the flow, ok that sounds fine, if that's how they do this." The stylists, according to Palin " were all hired before we were ever introduced at the convention."
Palin said the clothes were purchased for eight people in her family and she did not believe the total sum could have been close to $150,000. She said roughly a third of the lot was immediately returned because they didn't work, a third was now being packed up and returned to the RNC and the other third was never even removed from the campaign plane.
DEBATE PREP RUMORS
Rumors have been leaked to press from anonymous McCain staffers that Palin did not know Africa was a country or could not name the countries participating in NAFTA. "Never, ever did I talk about geez, well is a continent or a country, or what is it?" Palin said. "I don't know who did [leak]."
DEALING WITH THE HATE
"Being an outsider and an unknown, certainly there was a lot of curiosity," Palin said. She dismissed the worst rumors as coming from "bloggers in their parents basement just talking garbage."
Recommended
Advertisement
"It's a free for all, your life is an open book...don't run for office if you can't handle it
the criticism that is coming your way, you'd better be ready for it, otherwise you have no right running for office. It's unfortunate, but it's reality."
Palin said it was "frustrating when I had facts to counter the allegations...the media was not willing to correct the mistakes that had been printed, that's kind of frustrating."
FAMILY
Palin said she "felt bad" when her 14-year old daughter saw protesters wearing anti-Palin t-shirts printed with vulgar slurs, but "they're tough, they can handle it. They're good strong, kindhearted kids and so is my husband...they know what the truth is."
FEMINISM/WOMEN IN POLITICS
Palin said she didn't believe the massive outpouring of GOP support was really for her. Rather, it was more like, "Cool, we've got a woman on the ticket, we've got a manifestation of progress in America."
Palin said that she considers herself a "feminist whatever that means. I subscribe to Feminists for Life." She lamented the fact abortion is a "litmus test" for women who enter politics and that she hoped she could help other women "not be afraid of what, perhaps, a conservative woman represents."
MCCAIN MANAGEMENT
"The management of my time, my message, I have nothing to complain about...I would have preferred more opportunity to speak to the media more often" Palin said.
Advertisement
"I would have liked to have more opportunity to speak on his behalf of the attributes he has," she reiterated.
Palin said it was "scary" to be managed by a team she did not know in the beginning. "I did not know who they were...but as days went I could see they were some very bright people...as days went on it was good, it was fine...maybe there was some characterizing of me going rogue when hey, I was saying something from the heart...maybe it wasn't written in the script, but so what...John McCain does that, too."
2012
Palin said she has prayed, "God if there is an open door for me somewhere, don't let me miss the open door....don't let me miss an open door. if there is an open door in 12 or some years later...then I'll plow through that door...I can't predict that will happen a day from now, much less four years from now...in the meantime the State of Alaska has so much to offer."
Join the conversation as a VIP Member